womensphere

Campaign to secure funding for Rape Crisis – update

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to provide proper funding for Rape Crisis. We commend the invaluable work of Rape Crisis in bringing much needed support to people affected by sexual violence often years after the offences have taken place. We note with sadness that in 1984 there were 68 affiliated members of Rape Crisis (England and Wales) but now there are just 38. We believe this is a failure of successive administrations and endorse the New Statesman’s campaign to secure proper funding from the government so existing Rape Crisis centres can continue their work and that new centres can open

Minister for Women Harriet Harman announces £1 million in emergency funds for Rape Crisis’s work supporting the victims of sexual violence following the group’s campaign in conjunction with newstatesman.com

Minister for Women Harriet Harman has announced up to £1 million in emergency funding towards keeping Rape Crisis centres open, following a campaign by newstatesman.com in conjunction with Rape Crisis calling on the government to provide proper funding for the group’s work helping victims of sexual violence.

Speaking at Haven, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Camberwell, south London, on Tuesday, Harman said: “Rape Crisis England and Wales has done an important job in alerting us to the funding challenges faced at a local level by these rape crisis centres.

“We’ve stepped in with this emergency funding to help stop them from closing, while we sort out the longer term.”

“Rape is one of the most devastating offences for victims. It violates the basic right of women, men and children to be treated with dignity and respect.”

“I am delighted that the government have put their heads together – and importantly their purses together! – to come up with this emergency fund for Rape Crisis Centres. We know the government do value Rape Crisis services, and we are pleased that they have announced this fund to help those that are most critical to stay open.

“In the longer term, more money is clearly needed to prevent this mess from arising again. Hopefully lessons learned in Scotland can be brought down to England and Wales and we can begin to ensure that all rape survivors have access to the support they deserve.”